


baby, please come home

by scagnetism



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Christmas, Established Relationship, Fluff, Love Actually References Because Who Would I Be Without Them, M/M, and i literally mean a touch, idk it's just a short little fluffy holiday thing, since when do i write anything but fluff, there's a touch of angst though
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-18
Updated: 2014-12-18
Packaged: 2018-03-02 00:01:08
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,775
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2792456
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/scagnetism/pseuds/scagnetism
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Harry and Louis have broken up, but it's Christmas, and Louis just wants his boy back.</p>
            </blockquote>





	baby, please come home

**Author's Note:**

> I wasn't planning on writing anything Christmassy, and then this happened so...enjoy?

Christmas music swirls around Louis’ flat as he drags the box of ornaments out of the closet and onto the floor next to his newly purchased artificial tree. It isn’t as big as he’s used to, but it gets the job done. If he’s honest with himself, he hasn’t really been in the Christmas spirit this year. He hasn’t lived alone in nearly four years, and he’s still adjusting to the fact that there’s no “we” anymore. There’s only an “I.”

He cracks the lid of the box, wiping a thin layer of dust off the top and coughing as it flutters into the air. The first ornament he pulls out is a shiny bauble that’s been passed down from generation to generation. Louis hangs it on the tree as he thinks back to all the Christmases he spent with his family, laughing loudly as they tried to get the ornaments on the tree while breaking as few as possible. It wasn’t as easy as you would’ve thought with all his little sisters running around, which was probably why they ultimately decided to use mostly candy canes on the tree instead.  Far less breakable.

The next ornament he pulls out stops him dead.

A candy cane.

On the surface, it seems like he has everything. A beautifully decorated flat with strings of fairy lights hung up all around, giving the room a cheery, holiday glow; a fireplace with a crackling fire; a glass of wine resting on the mantle. And bigger things, too – a family who loves him, friends who would do anything for him, good health, a great job. He has it all, mostly. But the one thing he wants. That’s what’s missing. Him.

Louis cradles the candy cane ornament in his fingers, thinking back to how his Christmas the previous year had been so different, and that’s the only thing he wants. He twirls it between his fingers with a deep sigh and can’t help but wonder where it all went so very, very wrong. Before he can even process, tears are stinging his eyes as the happy memories flood his mind. The bad moments don’t matter so much anymore, Louis has realized as time’s gone by. The moments he shared with Harry were the best he’d ever had, and he wants them back. He wants the dull ache in his chest to go away. He wants _Harry_ back.

*

_“Lou, what are you doing?” Harry asks, making his way into the living room with eyes widening in confusion. “Are those candy canes on the tree? Like, candy canes that you eat? On the tree?”_

_Louis nods with a smile, taking another one from the package and placing it on a branch. “My family always decorates the tree with candy canes.”_

_“You could’ve run that by me first,” Harry replies gently, reaching over his shoulder to take one from the box and biting the end of the wrapper to open it._

_Louis shrugs. “Sorry, love. I didn’t realize it was such a big deal.”_

_“Well, it sort of is. I mean, you_ eat _candy canes.” He peels off the wrapper and shakes the unwrapped candy in his face. “Like this!” He runs his tongue across it and giggles, watching Louis roll his eyes lovingly. “My family usually decorates with ornaments. Just a bit different. ‘S all.”_

 _“Oh, well, my_ _family’s tradition to decorate the tree with candy canes. Only a few ornaments here and there. It looks nice, but it was mainly because with my little sisters running around, things were always getting broken.” A small smile comes over his face. “I’m gonna miss watching them open gifts on Christmas morning this year.”_

_“You said you didn’t mind,” Harry says, brows furrowing as he looks at him through deep, concerned eyes. He puts his arms around Louis and pulls him onto his lap._

_Louis puts the package of candy canes down on the coffee table, brushing a few stray curls out of Harry’s face. “I don’t really mind, H. I love your family, and I’m glad to spend the holidays with them, but this is really different for me, yeah? I’ve never spent a Christmas without them. Maybe this is a little bigger than having to adjust to some candy canes on the tree,” he adds jokingly, causing Harry to let out a soft chuckle into his shoulder._

_“No, no, you’re right. I’m sorry I was being a dickhead. Not used to doing things differently, y’know?” He runs a hand through his hair, and Louis hums in agreement, pressing a soft kiss to his forehead. “My family has traditions and stuff, too, obviously, but I guess I never really thought about everything merging until just now. Sorry, babe.”_

_“Didn’t cross my mind until now, either.” Louis fixes his gaze on the partly decorated tree. “Why don’t I stop decorating the tree for right now and you can make some hot chocolate and I’ll pop in Love Actually?”_

_Harry smiles. “Deal.”_

_When Harry kisses him, he tastes like peppermint._

_*_

_“Hey, love,” Louis calls into their flat as he hangs up his coat on the hook near the door. He tosses his beanie in the general direction of the couch as he starts into the living room. He’d gone out with Zayn for a boys’ night, and as much as it’d been fun, he couldn’t wait to get home to Harry._

_“SURPRISE!” Harry yells as he walks into their living room, a goofy grin resting on his lips. He twirls around before skipping over to Louis. “I did this for you!”_

_Louis’ jaw drops as he takes in the sight of their Christmas tree that’s now decorated beautifully with candy canes on almost every branch, strands of red and white lights, and a gigantic red bow resting on top. He fish mouths a few times, but he hopes the grin on his face says enough. Harry’s biting his lip nervously, and Louis can tell he’s just waiting for a proper reaction. He launches himself into Harry’s arms, peppering kisses all over his face. “Thank you,” he whispers, resting his hand against his cheek. “It’s perfect, Haz. I love you.”_

_“I love you, too.” Harry smiles, pressing his lips to Louis’ temple before pulling away. Louis honestly can’t tell what’s shining brighter – Harry’s eyes or the Christmas tree. “And I saved this for you to put on. I bought you a little something.”_

_Harry hands Louis a tiny box that he gingerly opens to reveal a small candy cane ornament. Another grin colors Louis’ face as he carefully adds it to the tree. “You didn’t have to do this.”_

_Harry shrugs. “_ Now _it’s perfect,” he declares, wrapping Louis in his embrace. “Like you.”_

*

“Coming,” Harry yells to his door as he runs his fingers through unruly curls. He lets out a sigh as he undoes the deadbolt; he’s tired, and he just wants to go to bed. When he sees who’s standing at the door, though, he instinctively pulls back. “Lou?” Louis melts at the use of his nickname. No one’s ever called him that but Harry, and it’s achingly familiar and completely distant all at once.

Louis looks up at him, feeling an overwhelming sense of safeness overcome him. His lips threaten to form a smile at the sight of Harry, but instead he stands unmoving outside the door. After a few beats, he tugs his beanie down further over his ears and holds up a small stack of poster board wordlessly.

Harry lets out a small gasp, because he knows what’s coming, of course he does, but he smiles as he leans his head on the doorframe.

“Just because it’s Christmas,” the first card reads, and Louis could recite this in his sleep. “(And at Christmas you tell the truth,)” the next one says. Harry is grinning so large his face could crack. “To me, you are perfect.” Harry’s cheeks are a rosy blush now, curls falling into his eyes as he desperately tries to hide his grin. “And my wasted heart will love you…”

“Until I look like what,” Harry mumbles, finishing the line of cue cards, and Louis smiles, pulling the next few away to reveal a picture of a mummy.

They both laugh, and Louis tucks the cards under his arm and pulls a box of candy canes out of his pocket, holding it out to Harry.

Harry’s brows furrow as he inspects the box, face softening when he realizes what they are. When it dawns on him, his eyes meet Louis’ and there’s a fond smile on his lips.

“I brought candy canes,” Louis tells him dumbly, wanting to eat his words the second he says them.

“I see that,” Harry answers with a chuckle, a deep rumble in his chest.

Louis focuses his attention on his feet as Harry takes the box of candy from his hand, their fingers brushing lightly. “Do you want to come in?” Harry asks weakly. “I mean, you came all the way here and gave me that lovely grand gesture. So the least you could do is join me for a candy cane or tea or hot chocolate or summat. Or all of it. And I did just make some cookies, so. You could help me frost them.”

“I’d like that a lot,” Louis answers with a nod and a grin, glad that Harry can still ramble like no other.  He cautiously walks into his flat and leaves his shoes at the door. As he takes a few steps in, it smells like freshly baked sugar cookies, and he can’t help but notice the beautifully decorated tree in his living room. Ornaments are scattered all over, but mainly there are candy canes. Red and white resting on every branch, adorning nearly each bit of open space. Louis isn’t sure how long he stares, but when he finally shifts his gaze to Harry, he’s wearing a smile and licking a candy cane. “You…I thought…” He wordlessly motions toward the tree.

He shrugs gently. “Sometimes new traditions are good. And sometimes old ones like knowing Love Actually by heart are even better.”

Louis does everything in his power to hold back and not bury his face in the crook of Harry’s neck, heart ready to beat right out of his chest. “I missed you, Haz.”

“I missed you, too,” Harry tells him, moving in toward Louis and closing the distance between them. He cups Louis’ face in his hands. “So much.”

Louis grins, and he can’t help but bask in the feeling of warmth, of safety, of home.

When Harry kisses him, he tastes like peppermint.

**Author's Note:**

> Comments and kudos are very much appreciated! And you can follow me on [tumblr](http://mytinylou.tumblr.com) and say hello :)


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